Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Playing with Mom

While Maeve is no longer actively nursing the puppies, she is still given lots of access to them.

From their sixth through eighth week the puppies learn many lessons about discipline and learning to play nicely. Maeve will play games of tugger and play fights, and be very, very gentle. BUT, let one of the puppies get too rough or bite too hard and she will be quick to discipline. The lesson here is that she will play nice if they place nice, they bite too hard, and she will make them cry. NEVER any damage done, just a quick, firm "I'm in charge". This is such an important part of their lives and why puppies need to spend these important developmental weeks playing and interacting with their mother.

They are learning to accept discipline, admit that the world is NOT about them, and then get on with just being a puppy. These basic lessons in life will make training your puppy so much easier.